OCBC and Bank of Ningbo recently partnered with the State Government of Johor, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Invest Johor, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) to promote Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) in Beijing.  

The high-level Johor government delegation, led by Yang Amat Berhormat Dato’ Onn Hafiz Ghazi, Menteri Besar of Johor, marked the first official visit to Beijing since the establishment of the JS-SEZ. The government delegation included Yang Berhormat Tuan Lee Ting Han, Chairman of the Johor State Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee; Dato’ Noorazam Osman, CEO of Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA); Tuan Haji Ahmad Nazir Haji Mohd Nasir, Deputy State Secretary of Johor (Development); Tuan Haji Natazha Hariss, CEO of Invest Johor; and Mr Mohamad Reduan Mohd Zabri, Director of Malaysian Investment Development Authority Johor (MIDA Johor).

About 100 participants including senior representatives from leading corporates and enterprises in China attended the exclusive Investment Dialogue themed “Unlocking Business Opportunities in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ)”.  These companies are from industries ranging from power, utilities, oil & gas and telecommunications. Among them were China Communication Construction and China Energy Engineering Corporation. 

At the dialogue, held at China World Hotel in Beijing, Dato’ Onn Hafiz and the senior officials shared about the state’s economic direction, trade priorities, and cross-border growth strategies, as well as engaged with the attendees directly. 

Dato’ Onn Hafiz expressed optimism about the dialogue and said, “This dialogue marks an important step in strengthening economic ties between Johor and China, and we are encouraged by the strong interest shown by Chinese enterprises in the JS-SEZ. It is a strategic platform built on cross-border connectivity, industrial depth and a pro-business ecosystem, supporting high-value sectors such as technology, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, energy, logistics and aerospace. These investments create quality jobs, enable knowledge transfer, and deliver long-term value for the people of Johor. Investing in JS-SEZ is not only about Johor, but about gaining strategic access to ASEAN. The Johor State Government remains fully committed to facilitating investments and partnering closely to ensure their success.”

Mr Tan Chor Sen, CEO of OCBC Malaysia, co-hosted the event with Bank of Ningbo, and in his opening remark, highlighted the strong potential of JS-SEZ to the Chinese enterprises in attendance.

“Recently, Johor has led Malaysia’s investment landscape by securing RM91.1 billion in approved investments in the first nine months of the year—the highest in the country. This outstanding achievement reflects strong investor confidence in the potential of JS-SEZ. OCBC is honoured to co-host this significant event to attract even more investment into the zone. By leveraging our robust presence in Greater China, Singapore, and Johor, along with the extensive ecosystem network and diverse financial capabilities of the OCBC Group, we are well-positioned to provide comprehensive support to Chinese companies seeking to invest in JS-SEZ. 

“Since 2024, we have committed RM15 billion in financing to businesses in Johor, supporting investments and operations across sectors. We are seeing strong interest in data centres, manufacturing, healthcare, education, property, and retail,” he said. 

OCBC has a strong track record of assisting foreign businesses in establishing operations in Malaysia. OCBC Malaysia’s first branch in Johor traces its history to 1917, with eight branches in the state out of 38 across Malaysia. 

Bank of Ningbo is an associate company of OCBC Group, and is also one of the 20 systematically important banks in China, with presence in key cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi and Wenzhou. Listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, it has built a strong reputation for financial stability, innovation, and regional influence.

OCBC Malaysia comprises OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad and OCBC Al-Amin Bank Berhad. As part of its One Group strategy, OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad also partners with the OCBC Group entities including Great Eastern Malaysia, Pac Lease Berhad and Bank of Singapore to offer a full suite of services to its customers in Malaysia and the region.